SINGAPORE: A man was sentenced to two weeks’ jail on Wednesday (Oct 19) for driving off with an undercover Health Sciences Authority (HSA) officer’s hand trapped in his car window.
Cai Zhixiang, 34, had been contacted by undercover HSA officers as part of ambush operations to meet with electronic vaporiser or “vape” sellers.
An officer posed as a buyer and struck up a deal on Telegram.
On a night in March last year, the seller told the HSA officer to approach a vehicle parked at a car park in Bukit Batok.
The victim was at the open car park near Block 274 Bukit Batok East Avenue 4, with three other HSA officers in plainclothes.
He approached Cai, who was sitting on the driver’s side and the only person in the vehicle. The other HSA officers went to the other side of the car.
Cai wound down the window to speak to the victim. The officers then identified themselves as HSA officers, the prosecutor said.
While the victim was reaching his hand into the car via Cai’s window, Cai pressed a button to wind up the window.
With the officer’s hand trapped between the car frame and the window, Cai began to drive off. The officer was forced to run together with Cai’s vehicle to avoid being dragged.
He managed to break free from the moving vehicle and did not sustain any serious injury.
Cai pleaded guilty to one count of a rash act endangering the personal safety of others.
The prosecutor asked for one to two weeks’ jail, saying the victim was an officer performing his duties to apprehend the accused. Cai had driven off despite knowing the danger of doing so, she said.
Cai read out a written mitigation plea he had prepared for himself. He said it was a fact that he wound up the window when the officer’s hand was in the car, trapping him.
“The reason why I wind up is because his hand reach in, and I thought he’s trying to put me in harm’s way,” said Cai, adding that he “panicked”.
“At the point of time, I had a newborn daughter aged only at three months, so it’s a mitigating factor that caused me to behave (how) I did, and I’m truly remorseful for what I did,” he said.
He claimed that he was only aware that the officers were carrying out ambush operations when the HSA officers and police raided his house after that.
The prosecution said the HSA officers confirmed that they had identified themselves to Cai.
“I’m truly remorseful as I’m mistaken that (the victim) was someone trying to put me in harm’s way,” said Cai.
He said he cooperated fully with all investigations and went down to the HSA office for further investigations. He claimed he was not selling nor using vapes at that time.
He said he was sentenced to probation in the past for theft and served it with no breaches.
Cai has worked for the same company after completing his studies at an Institute of Technical Education, and recently furthered his studies. He is now a final-year student at a university.
“I hope that in view of my personal background, (it will show) that I’m someone who is remorseful and is able to change,” said Cai, asking for leniency.
The judge noted that the offence was committed while Cai was trying to run away from HSA officers. He said it was entirely fortuitous that the officer did not suffer more serious injuries, owing to his “quick thinking” by breaking away.
He allowed Cai a deferment to Nov 1 to settle his work matters.
For a rash act endangering the personal safety of others, he could have been jailed for up to six months, fined up to S$2,500, or both.
CNA has contacted the Attorney-General’s Chambers on whether Cai faced any action over the purported vaporisers.